Of all the jobs in the world, there is one thing that is almost guaranteed: you will always be asked for your resume as part of the recruitment process. So what makes a great resume? Here are some of our tips and tricks!
Easy to Read
A clear resume with key information will allow your resume to stand out from the hundreds of others that firms receive. Make sure your font and sizing is the same throughout both the resume and cover letter. Ensure that you use appropriate fonts and layout, so your resume will appear professional. Using well-thought-out headings makes a resume easier and quicker to read, so firms can quickly scan to the areas that they are most interested in.
Shorter is Better
Make the things that are important stand out and don’t hide them behind pages and pages of information. Firms are looking for key information on a resume and you want your best skills and experience to be the parts that they can focus on. One way to do this is to make sure that you only include important and relevant information that the firm is interested in. Your primary school sport captaincy is far less impressive than your volunteer work during your law degree!
The quickest way to appear unprofessional is to have a grammar or spelling error in your resume. It can be difficult to spot errors in your own work that you have spent long periods of time writing. It is best to find someone that is able to read your work and ensure it is error free and makes sense.
Highlight How Your Experience is Valuable
Rather than just listing your experiences, elaborating on them and the skills that you gained provides firms with more information about why these experiences were valuable. By saying that you participated in a volunteer program in which you were in charge of leading a small team to achieve a goal, you look much more impressive than if you just listed that you participated in a volunteer program in 2017.
Choose Appropriate Referees
Choosing people that you know well and who will speak positively about you and your skills and experience is far more beneficial than another lawyer who you don’t know particularly well. A firm is likely to ask them specific questions about your time or experience with them and a referee needs to know you well enough to answer these. You should also ensure that you seek their permission before putting them down as a referee.
Now that you have some tips and tricks for putting together your resume, spend some time creating your own!
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